See The Put-in-Bay Gazette's Article on Declaration 250!
The Nation Descends On Put-in-Bay For Declaration 250
Put-in-Bay enters the national spotlight in a way that it hasn’t for a long, long time. This summer, from July 31st to August 2nd, South Bass Island plays host to a massive national event. Part of the America 250 celebration, our particular event celebrates the date of the actual signing of the Declaration of Independence, August 2, 1776. This massive weekend event will have marching bands, exhibits, concerts and speakers.
Program Of Events
This is the schedule for the weekend, as we know it so far. There are likely to be some small additions, and all of it is subject to change, but this is the information that we have today!
Friday, July 31
Saturday, August 1
Sunday, August 2
Friday, July 31
3:00 PM – Declaration 250 Presentation of Historical Speakers
4:30 PM – Performance by Bristol County Fifes and Drum Corps
7:00 PM – Island Concert
Saturday, August 1
10:00 AM – Opening of Gates and Encampments, including exhibits, a scavenger hunt, and other youth activities
11:30 AM – Performance by Bristol County Fifes and Drum Corps
1:00 PM – Performance by Guard Drill Team
3:00 PM – Colonial Era Cricket match
3:30 PM – U.S. Military Band performance
8:15 PM – Sunset Colors at Perry’s Monument
Sunday, August 2
10:00 AM – U.S. Military Band Performance
12:00 PM – Ohio State Marching Band arrives on the island.
1:00 PM – Performance by Bristol County Fifes & Drums
2:00 PM – Ohio State Marching Band Performance
2:45 PM – Opening Ceremony, including a military flyover, the Goodyear Blimp, and comments from MC Hugh Hewitt
5:00 PM – Bowling Green State University Marching Band Performance
7:30 PM – Lee Greenwood Concert
10:00 PM – Fireworks Show Finale and end of program
A Part Of The Larger America 250 Celebrations
Declaration 250 is an official America 250 event, part of the broader national effort to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. While Put-in-Bay and South Bass Island didn’t have a role in declaring American independence, we had an enormous role in retaining it. The waters surrounding Put-in-Bay were home to the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. Commodore Oliver “Hazard” Perry, namesake of about half of the island’s businesses and landmarks, secured an American victory in the battle, which was the turning point in the war.
Best Places To Stay For Declaration 250
We’ve got a full lodging page you can find up in the top bar, but if you want to cut to the chase, here are our favorite places to stay at the Bay for Declaration 250!
- Island Club Rentals (islandclub.com) – 216-898-9951
- Commodore Resort (commodoreresort.com) – 419-285-3101
- Bird’s Nest Resort (birdsnestresort.com) – 419-285-6119
- Put-in-Bay Condos (putinbaycondos.com) 216-898-1105
- Victory Station Hotel (putinbayvictorystation.com) 419-285-0120
One Of The Biggest Weekends The Island Has Ever Seen
Put-in-Bay is no stranger to hosting big events. Our large two-day country music festival is currently on hiatus, but was a mainstay for years, and the Ohio State marching band visits of the past were met with tens of thousands of guests descending on the island. And that’s actually a good benchmark for this one. Because the Ohio State marching band visits have been huge island events, and the Ohio State marching band is an opening act for this one! They’ll be performing at 2PM Sunday ahead of the main festivities.
Our Top Picks For 2026!
Even an event with an itinerary as jam-packed as this will leave some downtime. Use these links to help you fill the gaps and plan your trip!
- Put-in-Bay Attractions
- Put-in-Bay Event Calendar For 2026
- The Best Put-in-Bay Bars and Dining
- How To Get To Put-in-Bay
The Island Will Sell Out For This, So Plan Accordingly
We recommend securing not only lodging, but your golf carts very early for this event. Knowing what we know about what events end up drawing crowds to Put-in-Bay, this thing is going to sell out and sell out early. So if you’re interested in attending, check out some of our top lodging picks and get a reservation in ASAP, because if you don’t, you risk getting left out. Once island lodging sells out, you can seek out lodging on the mainland in Port Clinton and Catawba, but obviously this will involve ferrying to and from the island for the events, which won’t be ideal. So don’t delay, secure island lodging for Declaration 250!